Kaikoura is a cute town on a peninsula that sticks into the Pacific Ocean. According to a sign that I read, on clear days, you can see the north island from there, and it was a useful spot for the native people to keep a lookout. We couldn't see the north island, though it seemed … Continue reading Kaikoura and a ton of fish →

The rain in Arthur's Pass continued, and we were kinda done with it. What's the point of being in the mountains if you can't see any of them? We decided to go to Nelson Lakes National Park. Then, after realizing how far that was going to be, and since we only had a couple days … Continue reading Following Sheep →

So my brother in law is a bit of a fisherman. Like, probably more of an expert on fishing than I am on hot chocolate, and that's an accomplishment. He was kinda bummed that he hadn't caught one in New Zealand. The extremely awesome DOC worker at Arthur's Pass had told him about a fishing … Continue reading Helicopter Hill and Fresh Trout →

We were so ready for a good hike when we woke up to rainclouds in Arthur's Pass. We stopped at the DOC visitor center and asked for recommendations."Well, you might get some rain if you do Bealey Spur, but you'll also get some very moody views of the mountains," the ranger said. "And just remember: … Continue reading Bealey Spur and some of the best hot chocolate ever →

After the sand fly fiasco, we were ready for a great day. We had been really looking forward to this place, as the pictures looked awesome, and now we had a gloriously sunny day to enjoy it in. At the top of the very steep pass, Trevor realized the engine was getting a little warm. … Continue reading Stuck in Arthur’s Pass →

I can't say I wasn't warned about the sand flies. I just failed to heed the warnings. Failing to find good multi-day hikes in Mt. Cook or Mt. Aspiring, we decided to cross the Southern Alps, work our way up the West Coast, and visit Arthur's Pass. As we studied the map, Trevor saw that … Continue reading The briefest trip to New Zealand’s West Coast →

While camped at the Mt. Aspiring Hut, we consulted a warden about trails nearby. She told us we basically had 2 options: Continue the trail on the valley floor until we decided to turn around, or Hike up the Cascade Saddle trail, which adjoined the trail we were on just by our campsite. We chose … Continue reading Cascade Saddle: I’m not a fan →

After hiking to the Rob Roy Glacier, we returned to our van, packed our camping essentials, and got a very late start to our first overnighter of the trip. To be honest, I was a tad stressed, especially since we had yet to filter water. But after a bit of walking and fuming, even my … Continue reading Magical Mt. Aspiring →

The last place you expect to find ice cream is by the side of a river 30 kilometers down a gravel road. Okay, probably there is at least one ice cream stand further off the beaten path, but still, it was delicious. At the suggestion of a hit at the Department of Conservation Visitor Center … Continue reading Rob Roy Glacier and the world’s most remote ice cream →

After picking up the van from Lucky Rentals, we didn't have a ton of time, so we picked a cheap campsite a few hours down the road. Trevor was an excellent driver, despite being in the wrong side of the road...on the wrong side of the car. The first hour and a half was honestly … Continue reading New favorite river: Rakaia Gorge →